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>     MAR  4  1911      • 


BR    123    .B79    1910 

Bryan,  William  Jennings, 

1860-1925. 
The  fruits  of  the  tree 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 


The 


>     MAR  4  1911 


Fruits  of  the  Tree 


By 


V 


WILLIAM  JENNINGS  BRYAN 

AN  ADDRESS  DELIVERED  AT  THE  WORLd's  MISSIONARY  CONFERENCE) 
EDINBURGH,   SCOTLAND,   JUNE   1 7TH,    I9IO 


New  York         Chicago         Toronto 

Fleming  H.   Revell  Company 

London       and       Edinburgh 


AUTHOR'S  EDITION 


New  York:  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago :  80  Wabash  Avenue 
Toronto:  25  Richmond  St.,  W. 
London  :  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh :  100  Princes  Street 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

I  APPRECIATE,  beyond  the  power  of 
words  to  express,  the  privilege  of  par- 
ticipating In  this  great  conference — the 
greatest  rehglous  gathering  In  the  history  of 
the  Christian  church.  I  am  here  because  my 
Interest  In  missionary  work  was  greatly  quick- 
ened by  a  personal  visit  to  numerous  mission- 
ary fields  In  Asia  and  Africa. 

Having  been  a  church  member  from  the 
age  of  fourteen,  and  having  taken  an  interest 
in  church  work,  I  had  contributed  to  foreign 
missions  as  to  other  branches  of  Christian 
work,  and  had  heard  numerous  addresses 
by  missionaries  respecting  the  work  done  In 
the  foreign  field.     In  planning  a  trip  around 

the  world  I  had  intended  to  visit  a  mission 

5 


6  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

station  for  the  purpose  of  informing  myself 
as  to  the  environment  of  the  missionary  and 
as  to  the  details  of  his  work;  circumstances, 
however,  very  much  enlarged  my  opportunity 
for  investigation.  My  experience  and  obser- 
vation suggest  answers  to  the  objections  which 
I  had  heard  raised  to  missionary  work  in 
foreign  lands,  and  it  may  be  worth  while  to 
consider  some  of  these  objections. 

First,  it  is  argued  that  "  we  need  the 
money  at  home  "  and  can  not  afford  to  send 
it  abroad.  I  am  satisfied  that  this  objection 
is  not  sound.  The  ministers  present  will  bear 
me  out  in  the  assertion  that  money  contributed 
to  foreign  missions  is  not  subtracted  from 
money  available  for  home  missions.  The 
foreign  missionary  work  is,  as  a  rule,  sup- 
ported by  those  who  are  interested  in  home 
missions.  The  man  who  excuses  himself  from 
contributing  to  foreign  missions  on  the 
ground  that  he  wants  to  keep  his  money  for 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  7 

home  missions,  generally  finds  some  excuse 
for  withholding  his  money  even  from  home 
missions.  The  enthusiasm  aroused  by  work 
in  other  lands  so  enlarges  the  Christian's  sym- 
pathies that  the  home  missionary  work  is  bet- 
ter supported  than  it  would  be  if  foreign 
missionary  stations  were  abandoned. 

Akin  to  the  first  objection  is  the  second, 
that  "we  ought  to  correct  the  evils  at  home 
before  we  attempt  to  give  instruction 
abroad."  No  one  will  deny  that  we  have 
a  great  deal  to  do  at  home,  but  when  shall 
we  begin  to  help  others  if  we  must  be  per- 
fect ourselves  before  we  attempt  to  extend 
aid?  If  an  individual  refuses  to  give  advice 
to  others,  or  to  lend  assistance  in  the  reforma- 
tion of  others  until  he  is  himself  perfect,  he 
will  never  render  any  service  to  others,  for 
none  of  us  are  perfect.  Our  nation  will  in 
like  manner  postpone  forever  the  rendering 
of  service  to  other  nations  if  It  waits  until 


8  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

there  Is  nothing  more  to  be  done  at  home. 
No  matter  how  much  progress  we  make,  there 
vvill  ahvays  be  room  for  improvement;  the 
higher  we  rise,  the  larger  the  area  of  our 
vision  and  the  more  we  see  that  needs  to  be 
done.  If  we  are  ever  going  to  be  helpful, 
we  must  be  helpful  while  we  are  still  im- 
perfect. The  command  is  not,  "  Let  him  that 
is  perfect  help  the  imperfect,"  but  rather, 
*'  Let  him  that  is  strong  help  the  weak." 
Every  effort  that  we  put  forth  to  help  others 
strengthens  us.  I  remember  hearing,  in  my 
youth,  the  story  of  two  travellers  in  the  moun- 
tains. One  was  overcome  by  cold  and  sank 
down  discouraged;  the  other,  instead  of  leav- 
ing him  to  perish,  stayed,  and  by  rubbing 
him  sought  to  prolong  his  life.  The  effort 
kept  both  alive  until  help  came.  And  so  I  am 
satisfied  that  the  work  done  in  the  foreign 
field  strengthens  us  for  the  work  to  be  done 
at  home,  and  that  the  evidence  which  the  mis- 


The  Fmits  of  the  Tree  9 

sonarles  bring  us  of  the  triumphant  march 
of  Christianity  Inspires  us  to  greater  activity, 
both  at  home  and  abroad. 

Some  complain  that  the  missionaries  make 
but  few  conversions.  It  is  a  matter  of  regret 
that  progress  Is  not  more  rapid,  and  yet  that 
Is  no  reason  why  we  should  give  up  the  task. 
The  progress  of  Christianity  Is  not  as  rapid 
anywhere  as  we  would  like  to  have  It.  More 
than  half  of  the  adult  males  of  the  United 
States  do  not  attend  any  church,  and  that,  too, 
In  a  land  where  we  see  on  every  hand  evi- 
dences of  the  advantages  which  Christianity 
has  brought  to  our  country.  If,  where  the 
environment  tends  to  bring  people  Into  the 
church,  so  many  remain  outside,  we  must  not 
be  surprised  if  the  spread  of  our  religion  Is 
even  more  slow  among  the  heathen,  where  It 
Is  often  necessary  for  one  to  leave  home  and 
friends  and  to  submit  to  social  and  business 
ostracism  to  become  a  follower  of  Christ. 


10  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

But  in  spite  of  all  the  opposition  met  by 
the  missionaries  Christianity  is  spreading. 
The  growth  of  Christianity  from  its  begin- 
ning on  the  banks  of  the  Jordan,  until  to-day, 
when  its  converts  are  baptised  in  all  rivers 
of  the  earth,  is  steady  and  continual. 

A  fourth  objection  is  advanced  by  a  few, 
namely,  that  our  missionaries  may  by  their 
mistakes  get  us  into  trouble  with  other  na- 
tions. Of  course,  people  are  liable  to  make 
mistakes,  whether  they  live  abroad  or  at 
home.  We  all  make  mistakes,  the  non-Chris- 
tian as  well  as  the  Christian,  the  layman  as 
well  as  the  preacher,  and  a  minister  may  make 
mistakes  in  Asia  as  well  as  in  the  United 
States,  but  I  am  convinced  that  the  good  that 
the  missionaries  do  far  outweighs  any  harm 
that  can  come  from  their  mistakes.  They 
make  us  more  friends  than  enemies.  The 
Americans  who  go  into  foreign  lands  to  make 
money  are  much  more  apt  to  involve  us  in 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  11 

diplomatic  controversies  than  the  missionaries 
who  devote  themselves  to  the  uplifting  of  the 
people  among  whom  they  go. 

The  cause  of  missions  has  been  abundantly 
vindicated  by  experience  and  the  represent- 
atives carry  a  priceless  message.  Our  mis- 
sionaries in  Asia  are  entrusted  with  the  im- 
portant duty  of  carrying  the  gospel  back  to 
the  land  of  Its  birth. 

The  Bible,  both  the  Old  Testament  and  the 
New,  came  from  Asia ;  the  Holy  Land,  where 
the  prophets  walked  and  where  Jesus  taught 
and  wrought,  Is  Asiatic  territory.  The 
Saviour  complained  that,  when  He  came  unto 
His  own,  His  own  received  Him  not;  but 
now  that  Christianity  has  vindicated  Itself  In 
the  New  World  it  returns  to  conquer  the  Old. 

The  leaders  of  thought  In  the  Orient  are 
accustomed  to  philosophising;  they  defend 
their  religions  as  moral  codes,  and  the  repre- 
sentatives of  Christianity  are,  therefore,  the 


12  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

more  sure  of  triumph  in  the  end,  because  they 
represent  the  highest  code  of  morals,  the  most 
perfect  system  of  philosophy,  ever  promul- 
gated— a  system  which  fits  into  every  human 
need  and  is  world-wide  in  its  application. 

As  Elijah  overcame  the  prophets  of  Baal 
with  his  prayer  test,  so  our  missionaries  can 
challenge  the  non-Christian  world  to  accept, 
as  the  basis  of  comparison,  the  test  set  up  by 
the  Nazarene:  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know 
them." 

The  representatives  of  Christianity  can 
present  conclusive  proof  of  the  superiority  of 
the  system  which  they  offer.  There  has  been 
little,  if  any,  progress  in  the  non-Christian 
world  during  the  last  fifteen  hundred  years 
that  is  not  traceable  to  the  influence  of  the 
Christian  religion;  it  is  the  leaven  which  is 
gradually  but  surely  leavening  the  entire 
lump.  While  other  religions  are  withdraw- 
ing their  outposts,  Christianity  is  expanding, 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  13 

and  the  unselfish  character  of  the  Christian 
spirit  is  shown  In  the  fact  that  schools  spring 
up  wherever  It  Is  planted  and  all  the  energies 
are  quickened. 

A  religion  that  does  not  make  one  fruitful 
in  good  works  Is  not  worthy  to  be  called  a 
religion.  While  the  purposes  and  motives  of 
men  are  invisible,  these  purposes  and  motives 
manifest  themselves  In  life;  they  are  em- 
bodied in  deeds. 

Paul  declared  that  Christ  came  to  bring 
life,  as  well  as  immortality,  to  light  and,  If 
higher  authority  is  desired.  It  can  be  found 
In  the  language  of  the  Master  Himself,  who. 
In  defining  His  mission,  told  His  hearers  that 
He  had  come  '*  That  they  might  have  life, 
and  have  it  more  abundantly." 

There  is  need  of  Christ  in  the  present  life 
to  interpret  life  for  us.  We  need  Christ  In 
the  western  world,  and  no  one  who  has  visited 
the  non-Christian   countries   can   doubt  that 


14  The  Fniits  of  the  Tree 

there  is  need  there,  also,  of  Christ's  conception 
of  hfe.  The  happiness  and  welfare  of  the 
people  will  be  advanced  by  the  light  which 
Christ's  teachings  and  example  throw  upon 
hfe's  duties  and  responsibilities.  Those  who 
enjoy  the  blessings  of  Christian  civilisation 
must,  therefore,  out  of  gratitude  as  well  as 
because  of  direct  command,  bring  the  Bible 
to  the  attention  of  those  who  know  it  not. 

The  idea  that  the  character  of  a  tree  Is  to 
be  determined  by  its  fruit — one  of  the  most 
fundamental  principles  In  our  study  of  nature 
— runs  through  the  Bible.  In  the  last  book 
of  the  Word,  and  in  the  last  chapter  of  the 
book,  we  are  told  that  the  tree  of  life  bears 
"  twelve  manner  of  fruits,"  and  that  It  yields 
its  fruits  twelve  times  a  year.  The  verse  con- 
cludes with  a  declaration,  suggestive  of 
missionary  work,  namely,  that  the  leaves 
of  the  tree  are  for  the  "  healing  of  the 
nations." 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  15 

If  Christianity  is  to  be  the  tree  of  hfe 
to  the  world  it  must  be  a  fruitful  tree;  if  the 
individual  Christian  is  to  be  a  worthy  repre- 
sentative of  the  tree  he  must  not  only  bear 
fruit,  but  he  must  bear  such  fruit  that  all 
may  see  that  he  is  one  of  those  of  whom  it 
might  be  said:  "Ye  are  the  branches." 

The  fruits  of  the  Spirit  are  so  numerous 
that  it  is  difficult  to  select  a  limited  number 
and  describe  them  as  the  most  important  ones, 
but  I  venture  to  submit  twelve  propositions 
which  are  fundamental — twelve  truths  which 
must  be  woven  Into  the  Christian  life  If  that 
life  is  to  be  "  neither  barren  nor  unfruitful." 
These  truths  may  be  added  to  Indefinitely  but 
the  number  can  not  easily  be  reduced,  since 
Christ  Himself  has  placed  emphasis  upon 
each  and  every  one  of  them. 

First — Belief  in  God,  as  Creator,  Pre- 
server, and  Father. 

The  existence  of  God  need  not  be  proven; 


16  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

It  Is  a  self-evident  truth.  "  In  the  beginning 
was  God  " — we  can  not  go  beyond  that.  We 
must  commence  somewhere;  we  must  start 
with  something,  and  the  Christian  starts  with 
Jehovah.  The  mystery  of  creation  is  not 
made  clear  by  assuming  that  matter  and  force 
are  eternal;  the  Christian  begins  with  a  more 
reasonable  assumption,  namely,  that  God  is 
eternal. 

If  It  Is  difficult  to  understand  how  there  can 
be  an  all-powerful,  all-wise,  and  all-loving 
God — the  Creator  of  all  things.  It  is  still  more 
difficult  to  understand  how  there  can  be  a 
world,  such  as  we  see  about  us,  without  such 
a  supreme  and  eternal  being  as  its  author  and 
director.  It  is  easier  for  the  human  mind  to 
believe  in  such  a  God  than  to  believe  in  any- 
other  theory  of  creation — hence  the  almost 
universal  belief  in  a  Creator.  "  The  heavens 
declare  the  glory  of  God;  and  the  firmament 
sheweth  His  handiwork."     His  power,  His 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  17 

wisdom,  and  His  love  are  all  manifested  In 
the  provision  He  has  made  for  the  welfare 
of  His  children.  And  how  dependent  we  are 
upon  Him !  "  Give  us  this  day  our  daily- 
bread,"  Is  not  a  formal  petition.  If  He 
ceased  to  gather  the  mists  from  the  ocean 
and  form  them  Into  clouds,  all  life  would 
disappear  from  the  earth,  but  we  have  His 
promise  of  the  early  and  the  later  rain,  of 
seed  time  and  harvest.  If  He  drew  a  veil 
between  us  and  the  Sun,  night  would  bring 
with  It  a  sleep  that  would  know  no  waking, 
but  light  and  heat  are  meted  out  to  us  each 
day  according  to  our  needs,  and  He  gives  as 
freely  to  the  humblest  as  to  the  greatest.  No 
wonder  He  is  called  Father,  and  Father  of 
all,  whether  they  acknowledge  their  Indebted- 
ness to  Him  or  not. 

Christ  draws  a  vivid  picture  of  the  Father's 
care,  when  He  tells  us  that  even  the  hairs  of 
our  head  are  numbered,  and  what  tenderness 


18  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

and  comfort  In  the  assurance  that  He  is  more 
willing  than  an  earthly  father  to  give  good 
gifts  unto  His  children! 

7  he  relation  which  man  fixes  between  him- 
self and  God  is  the  most  important  influence 
that  enters  into  a  human  life;  and  it  means 
a  revolution  in  the  life  when  this  relation  is 
changed.  Man  needs  the  inner  strength  that 
comes  with  the  conscious  presence  of  an  all- 
seeing  God;  man  needs  the  inner  strength 
supplied  by  a  sense  of  responsibility  to  a  Crea- 
tor for  every  thought  and  word  and  deed. 
If  those,  thus  fortified,  sometimes  in  the  pres- 
ence of  temptation  fall,  how  helpless  and 
hopeless  must  those  be  who  rely  upon  their 
own  strength  alone ! 

Second — Belief  in  Christ,  as  Son  and 
Saviour,  and  as  "  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the 
hfe." 

The  divinity  of  Christ  is  a  material  part 
of  the  Christian  creed;  it  can  not  be  omitted. 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  19 

If  Christ  is  to  be  a  Saviour,  or  even  an  au- 
thoritative example,  He  must  be  first  a  Son. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  rely  upon  His  birth, 
upon  His  miracles,  or  even  upon  His  resur- 
rection to  prove  His  claim  to  sonship.  In 
fact,  the  natural  process  of  reasoning  is  to 
confirm  the  Bible  account  of  His  birth.  His 
miracles,  and  His  resurrection  by  showing 
what  He  said,  what  He  did,  and  what  He 
was.  When  He  is  understood,  nothing  said 
of  Him  will  seem  impossible.  He  is  a  fact 
which  can  not  be  disputed — the  greatest  fact 
of  history.  That  a  mere  man  should  have 
said  what  He  said,  should  have  done  what 
He  did,  and  should  have  lived  and  died  as 
He  lived  and  died  is  incomprehensible. 
Reared  in  a  carpenter's  shop ;  without  contact 
with  the  sages  of  other  lands  and  without 
knowledge  of  the  sages  dead,  except  as  He 
gained  it  from  the  Old  Testament,  He,  at 
the  age  of  thirty,  announced  His  messlahship, 


20  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

gathered  a  few  disciples  about  Him,  set  forth 
a  code  of  morals  surpassing  anything  known 
before — surpassing  any  code  that  the  non- 
Christian  world  can  formulate  to-day — and 
then  was  crucified. 

And  yet  from  this  beginning  His  religion 
spread  until  thousands  of  millions  have  be- 
come His  followers  and  millions  have  been 
willing  to  die  rather  than  surrender  the  faith 
which  He  put  into  their  hearts.  Here  is  One 
who,  for  1900  years,  has  exerted  an  increas- 
ing influence  over  the  hearts  and  minds  and 
lives  of  men — One  who  wields  more  power 
to-day  than  ever  before !  How  can  it  be  ex- 
plained? It  is  not  a  matter  to  scoff  at;  the 
question,  "  What  think  ye  of  Christ?  "  is  not 
a  question  to  be  brushed  aside;  it  is  a  question 
that  must  be  answered.  It  is  easier  to  believe 
Him  divine  than  to  explain  in  any  other  way 
His  words.  His  life,  and  His  death. 

And  the  same  conclusion  is  reached  by  an- 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  21 

other  course  of  reasoning.  The  work  to  be 
done  was  more  than  a  man's  task.  No  man^ 
aspiring  to  be  a  God,  could  save  his  fellows 
from  their  own  selfishness  and  sin,  fortify 
them  against  the  temptations  that  come  with 
appetite  and  passion,  and  bring  them  Into  har- 
mony with  the  divine  will.  It  needed  a  God, 
condescending  to  be  a  man,  to  work  In  the 
human  heart  that  continuing  miracle  which  Is 
witnessed  when  one  begins  to  love  the  things 
he  hated,  and  to  hate  the  things  he  loved — 
when  one  who,  before  the  change,  would  have 
sacrificed  a  world  for  his  ambition,  stands 
ready,  after  the  change,  to  give  his  life  for 
a  principle  and  finds  pleasure  in  making  sacri- 
fice for  his  convictions. 

Neither  could  a  mere  man  furnish  an  ex- 
ample sufficiently  binding  upon  the  conscience. 
The  best  of  men  have  their  limitations,  their 
frailties,  and  their  easily  besetting  sins;  and 
there  Is  danger  that  these  will  be  imitated 


22  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

instead  of  the  virtues.  As  the  plant,  to  re- 
peat what  another  has  said,  reaches  down  and 
draws  inanimate  matter  up  into  the  realm  of 
life,  so  we  need  some  divine  power  to  reach 
down  and  draw  us  up  into  the  realm  of  spirit. 
Man  can  respond  to  a  summons  from  above, 
but  he  has  no  physical  or  mental  force  within 
him  which  can,  unaided,  carry  him  to  moral 
heights. 

The  foundations  of  character  are  laid  in 
youth.  Most  of  us  receive  our  life-inclina- 
tions from  environment  before  we  are  grown 
— before  the  reason  is  sufficiently  developed 
to  be  trusted  as  a  guide.  Youth  needs  some 
book  to  which  it  can  refer  in  times  of  doubt 
and  say:  "  It  is  written;  "  youth  needs  to  lean 
upon  an  arm  stronger  than  its  own  and  to 
hear  a  voice  that  commands. 

"Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go?  Thou  hast 
the  words  of  eternal  life." 

Even  In  our  maturer  years  we  need  an  Ideal 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  23 

which  defies  complete  embodiment  in  the  flesh. 
It  is  a  low  ideal  that  can  be  easily  reached; 
when  we  overtake  our  ideal,  our  progress 
stops.  It  is  the  glory  of  the  Christian  ideal, 
embodied  in  the  words  and  life  of  our 
Saviour,  that  while  it  is  within  sight  of  the 
weakest  and  the  lowliest,  it  Is  yet  so  high  that 
the  best  and  the  noblest  are  kept  with  their 
faces  turned  ever  upwards;  and  Christian 
civilisation  Is  the  highest  that  the  world  has 
ever  known  because  it  rests  upon  a  conception 
of  life  which  makes  that  life  a  continuous 
ascent,  with  no  limit  to  human  advancement 
and  development. 

Third — Belief  In  the  Holy  Spirit,  God's 
messenger  to  man,  and  man's  comforter  and 
inspiration. 

If  God  Is  a  Spirit,  and  we  worship  Him  in 
spirit  and  In  truth,  it  Is  only  natural  that  there 
should  be  some  means  of  communication  be- 
tween   God    and    His    worshippers.     Christ 


24  The  Fruits  of  tlic  Tree 

taught  that  such  a  line  of  communication 
could  be  cstabhshed,  and  no  one  will  dispute 
it  who  has  learned  how  to  pray. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  I  should  be  able  to 
explain  how,  in  olden  times,  the  prophets 
spake  as  the  Lord  commanded  them,  or  how 
the  Bible  was  written  by  inspiration;  man 
could  see  the  lightning's  flash  and  feel  the 
shock  long  before  he  understood  the  laws 
which  govern  the  action  of  that  wonder-work- 
ing fluid  which  we  call  electricity;  so,  until 
I  have  more  complete  knowledge  of  the  sub- 
ject, I  am  content  to  know  that  there  is  an 
unseen  Power  which  can  speak  peace  to  the 
troubled  heart  and  renew  the  flagging  zeal — 
sometimes  manifesting  itself  in  the  "  still, 
small  voice,"  sometimes  pouring  itself  out  in 
a  Pentecostal  flood. 

Fourth — Man's  highest  purpose;  to  "  seek 
first  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  His  righteous- 
ness." 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  25 

"  What  shall  It  profit  a  man  If  he  shall 
gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own  soul?  " 

Other  things  come  afterwards.  There  must 
be  a  paramount  purpose  In  life.  As  there 
must  be  a  highest  point  on  every  hill — a  point 
from  which  one  can  survey  every  side;  so 
there  must  be  an  eminence  In  every  Hfe  from 
which  the  various  elements  that  enter  into  life 
can  be  seen  In  proper  proportion. 

In  considering  a  subject,  one  must  begin 
with  the  controlling  principle — when  it  Is  un- 
derstood, minor  principles  fall  Into  place. 
Some  one  has  aptly  Illustrated  this  by  saying 
that  if  an  attempt  Is  made  to  pull  a  tree 
through  a  gate,  the  trunk  must  be  carried 
through  first;  If  one  tries  to  pull  the  branches 
through  first,  they  spread  out  and  catch  upon 
the  posts.  So,  the  details  of  life  can  not  be 
wisely  arranged  until  the  main  purpose  Is 
definitely  fixed. 

One  does  not  become  Indifferent  to  other 


26  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

things  because  he  puts  his  duty  to  God  first; 
on  the  contrary,  he  sees  more  clearly  and 
measures  more  accurately.  The  "  pure  in 
heart  "  see  not  only  God,  but  good;  it  is  self 
that  befogs  the  mind.  No  engineer  could  be 
safely  trusted  at  the  throttle  if  he  were  con- 
stantly considering  whether  it  would  pay  him 
better  to  wreck  the  train  or  to  keep  it  on  the 
track;  so,  no  one  can  be  trusted  to  decide  a 
question  wisely  whose  mind  is  engaged  in  cal- 
culating the  relative  advantages  of  sin  and 
virtue.  The  Christian  son  and  daughter  are 
not  less  dutiful;  the  Christian  father  and 
mother  are  not  less  affectionate,  because  both 
children  and  parents  accept  Christ's  doctrine : 
"  He  that  loveth  father  and  mother  more 
than  Me  is  not  worthy  of  Me:  and  he  that 
loveth  son  and  daughter  more  than  Me  is  not 
worthy  of  Me."  On  the  contrary,  the  best 
children  and  the  best  parents  are  to  be  found 
in  Christendom,  and  they  are  the  best  because 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  27 

we  can  do  everything  best  only  when  we  do 
first  that  which  comes  first.  In  God's  plan, 
*'  every  truth  fits  into  every  other  truth." 

'^  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and 
His  righteousness:  and  all  these  things  shall 
be  added  unto  you." 

Fifth — Love,  the  law  of  life. 

God  Is  love,  and  Christ  was  both  the  evi- 
dence of  love  and  the  supreme  illustration 
of  it.  The  Man  of  Galilee  gave  the  world  a 
new  definition  of  love.  The  world  had  known 
love  before;  husbands  had  loved  their  wives, 
and  wives  their  husbands;  parents  had  loved 
their  children  and  children  their  parents;  and 
friend  had  loved  friend.  But  here  was  a  love 
as  boundless  as  the  sea — a  love  whose  limits 
were  so  far-flung  that  no  one  could  travel 
beyond  Its  bounds. 

The  plan  of  salvation  Is  easier  to  under- 
stand when  one  has  tried  to  fathom  Jesus' 
love.     Sacrifice  Is  the  language  of  love,  and 


28  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

in  no  other  way  could  Christ  so  well  prove 
His  love  as  by  His  willingness  to  die  that  we, 
through  Him,  might  be  saved. 

Love  is  enlightened — it  is  not  blind,  as 
some  would  have  us  believe.  It  penetrates 
into  the  dark  places — into  the  prisons  where 
light  and  sympathy  can  be  carried;  it  dis- 
covers the  sick  to  whom  kindness  can  be 
shown;  It  discerns  latent  strength  in  those  un- 
known to  fame;  it  detects  the  weak  points  in 
the  armour  of  boasting  strength. 

Love  begets  love;  heart  answereth  unto 
heart.  "We  love  him  because  he  first  loved 
us,"  has  been  said  of  all  whom  the  world  has 
ever  loved. 

Love  is  a  growing  force  because  it  Is  the 
one  weapon  for  which  there  is  no  shield.  Car- 
lyle.  In  the  closing  chapters  of  his  "  French 
Revolution,"  presents  an  important  truth;  he 
says  that  thought  is  stronger  than  artillery 
parks  and  at  last  moulds  the  world  like  soft 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  29 

clay;  and  then  he  adds  that  back  of  thought 
Is  love.  Carlyle  is  right;  thought  Is  mightier 
than  force,  but  only  because  It  Is  controlled 
and  directed  by  love.  Thought  looks  up  to 
love  as  the  flower  opens  to  the  sun. 

When  navies  no  longer  mock  the  thunder 
with  their  roar;  when  armies  no  more  shake 
the  earth  with  their  tread,  "  and  the  battle 
flags  are  furled  " — love's  roll  call  will  still 
be  sounded;  love  will  marshal  Increasing  hosts 
and  lead  them  Into  a  higher  arena  In  which 
the  energies  will  be  employed  In  saving  rather 
than  In  destroying,  and  In  which  life  will  be 
found  Instead  of  lost. 

''  If  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and 
angels,  but  have  not  love,  I  am  become  sound- 
ing brass,  or  a  clanging  cymbal.  And  If  I 
have  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  know  all  mys- 
teries, and  all  knowledge:  and  If  I  have  all 
faith,  so  as  to  remove  mountains,  and  have 
not  love,  I  am  nothing.    And  If  I  bestow  all 


30  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

my  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  if  I  give  my 
body  to  be  burned,  but  have  not  love,  it 
profiteth  me  nothing.  Love  suffereth  long, 
and  is  kind:  love  envieth  not:  love  vaunteth 
not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up.  Doth  not  behave 
itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not  its  own,  is  not 
provoked,  taketh  not  account  of  evil.  Re- 
joiceth  not  in  unrighteousness,  but  rejoiceth 
with  truth;  beareth  all  things,  believeth  all 
things,  hopeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things. 
Love  never  faileth,  but  whether  there  be 
prophecies  they  shall  be  done  away;  whether 
there  be  tongues  they  shall  cease;  whether 
there  be  knowledge  it  shall  be  done  away. 
For  we  know  in  part,  and  we  prophesy  in 
part;  but  when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come, 
that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done  away. 

"  When  I  was  a  child,  I  spake  as  a  child, 
I  felt  as  a  child,  I  thought  as  a  child;  now 
that  I  am  become  a  man,  I  have  put  away 
childish  things.    For  now  we  see  In  a  mirror, 


The  Fmits  of  the  Tree  31 

darkly,  but  then  face  to  face;  now  I  know  In 
part;  but  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also  I 
have  been  known. 

"  But  now  abideth  faith,  hope,  love,  these 
three;  and  the  greatest  of  these  is  love." 

Sixth — Forgiveness,  the  test  of  love. 

At  no  other  point  is  the  contrast  more 
sharply  drawn  between  the  precepts  of  Christ 
and  the  teachings  of  the  philosophers  of  the 
non-Christian  world  than  on  the  subject  of 
forgiveness.  While  the  latter  contented  them- 
selves with  rules  and  formulas  Christ  cleansed 
the  heart  of  that  from  which  evil  grows. 

Forgiveness  is  so  important  a  part  of  God's 
scheme,  so  essential  to  Christ's  code  of  morals, 
that  in  the  model  prayer  which  He  gave  for 
the  instruction  of  His  followers.  He  made 
our  willingness  to  forgive  the  measure  of  our 
claim  to  forgiveness:  "Forgive  us  our  tres- 
passes, as  we  forgive  those  who  trespass 
against  us." 


32  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

How  often  shall  we  forgive? 

*'  How  oft  shall  my  brother  sin  against  me, 
and  I  forgive  him?  Till  seven  times?  Jesus 
saith  unto  him,  I  say  not  unto  thee  until  seven 
times;  but  until  seventy  times  seven." 

And  to  what  extreme  shall  forgiveness  be 
carried?    There  is  no  limit. 

"  I  say  unto  you,  love  your  enemies,  bless 
them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that 
hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  which  despite- 
fully  use  you  and  persecute  you." 

One  of  the  disciples  of  Confucius  asked 
him  what  he  thought  of  the  doctrine  that  evil 
should  be  rewarded  with  good;  he  replied: 
"  If  you  reward  evil  with  good,  with  what 
will  you  reward  good?  " 

Then  he  announced  this  rule:  "Reward 
evil  with  justice;  and  reward  good  with 
good."  Which  is  the  higher  philosophy? 
Reward  evil  with  justice?  How  can  one  tell 
what  justice  Is  if  his  heart  is  full  of  hatred, 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  33 

and  he  is  waiting  impatiently  for  a  chance  for 
revenge  ? 

It  is  not  until  forgiveness  has  taken  the 
place  of  hatred,  not  until  love  fills  the  heart — 
that  one  can  frame  a  true  definition  of  justice 
or  hold  the  scales  with  a  steady  hand. 

The  doctrine  of  forgiveness  was  not  urged 
for  the  benefit  of  the  forgiven  alone;  it  is 
necessary  to  the  happiness  of  the  Injured  party 
as  well.  There  is  no  heavier  burden  than  a 
load  of  revenge;  it  will  break  any  man  down 
who  attempts  to  carry  it.  It  is  only  once — or 
occasionally  at  most,  that  one  has  a  chance 
to  retaliate  upon  an  enemy,  but  the  spirit  of 
retaliation  does  the  one  who  cherishes  it  a 
continuing  Injury.  It  is  a  corroding  influence, 
and  destructive  of  the  better  nature. 

It  is  for  the  benefit  of  the  victim  of  the 
Injury  as  well  as  for  the  punishment  of  the 
wrong-doer  that  God  reserves  to  Himself  the 
exclusive  right  to  visit  retribution. 


84  The  Fi-uits  of  the  Tree 

"  Dearly  beloved,  avenge  not  yourselves, 
but  rather  give  place  unto  wrath;  for  it  is 
written,  vengeance  is  mine,  I  will  repay,  saith 
the  Lord. 

"Therefore  if  thine  enemy  hunger,  feed 
him;  if  he  thirst,  give  him  drink;  for  in  so 
doing  thou  shalt  heap  coals  of  fire  on  his 
head.  Be  not  overcome  of  evil,  but  overcome 
evil  with  good." 

Here  we  have  suggested  a  means  of  over- 
coming evil,  and  it  is  the  only  way.  If  you 
cut  down  weeds,  they  will  come  again;  you 
may  cut  them  down  as  often  as  you  like,  and 
they  will  still  spring  up.  But  plant  some- 
thing there  which  has  more  vitality  than  the 
weeds,  and  you  will  not  only  get  rid  of  the 
constant  cutting,  but  have  the  benefit  of  the 
crop. 

So,  if  we  would  find  a  permanent  remedy 
for  evil,  we  must  find  it  in  the  substitution  of 
a  higher  for  a  lower  conception  of  life,  and 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  35 

forgiveness  is  one  of  the  manifestations  of 
the  higher  hfe. 

Christ  not  only  gave  us  a  supreme  example 
of  forgiveness  when,  in  the  very  extremity 
of  His  physical  suffering,  He  prayed  for  the 
forgiveness  of  those  who  were  crucifying 
Him,  but  He  gave  us  a  reason  for  forgiving, 
which  we  are  not  as  quick  as  we  should  be 
to  recognise.  "  Father  forgive  them,  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do !  " 

Ignorance  is  often  the  cause  of  wrong  do- 
ing. Even  malice  may  be  due  as  much  to  the 
lack  of  knowledge  as  to  bad  intent.  Cer- 
tainly, the  one  who  entertains  malice  is  igno- 
rant of  the  joy  of  forgiving.  The  world 
needs  enlightenment  more  than  it  needs  the 
rod;  and  it  is  cheaper  to  prevent  than  to 
punish.  To  hate  sin  and  to  love  the  sinner; 
to  oppose  evil  and  yet  seek  to  rescue  the  evil- 
doer, we  need — we  must  have — the  forgiving 
spirit  of  Him  who,  when  asked  to  call  down 


86  The  Fniits  of  the  Tree 

fire  from  heaven  upon  those  who  rejected 
Him,  replied:  "Ye  know  not  what  manner 
of  spirit  ye  are  of,  for  the  Son  of  Man  is 
not  come  to  destroy  men's  Hves,  but  to  save 
them." 

Seventh — Brotherhood,  the  Christian  ideal. 

The  natural  and  necessary  result  of  Chris- 
tianity, applied  to  life,  is  to  weld  the  world 
together  into  an  universal  brotherhood — "  All 
ye  are  brethren." 

Christ  repeatedly,  aye  constantly,  Impressed 
upon  his  hearers  the  fact  that  they  were 
bound  together  by  indissoluble  ties.  He  con- 
densed the  Ten  Commandments  into  two: 
"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,"  and  "  thy  neighbour  as  thy- 
self." 

The  first  defines  man's  attitude  toward  the 
Creator;  the  second  regulates  man's  conduct 
toward  his  fellow-creatures.  The  law,  as  pro- 
claimed from  Sinai,  forbade  killing,  stealing, 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  37 

false  swearing,  etc.,  but  the  new  dispensation, 
as  presented  by  Christ,  goes  much  farther — 
It  removes  the  desire  to  do  these  things. 

The  doctrine  of  brotherhood  was  so  deeply 
Impressed  upon  the  disciples,  that  they  made 
It  prominent  In  their  exhortations.  John  even 
resorted  to  unparliamentary  language  in  the 
warmth  of  his  Indignation  at  the  thought 
that  a  man  could  love  God  and  yet  be  an 
enemy  to  his  brother.  "  If  a  man  say, 
I  love  God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  Is  a 
Har." 

And  in  how  many  ways  this  hatred  of  a 
brother  can  be  shown !  Every  act  of  con- 
scious Injustice  Is  outward  proof  of  inward 
hatred;  and  much  of  the  unconscious  Injustice 
is  proof  of  an  Indifference  to  the  brother's 
welfare,  scarcely  less  excusable  than  hate. 
The  future  is  bright  only  because  the  signs 
of  the  times  indicate  that  the  development 
of  the  spirit  of  brotherhood  Is  even  more 


38  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

rapid  and  more  widespread  than  the  world's 
material,  intellectual,  and  political  develop- 
ment. 

Dumas  saw  the  coming  of  the  era  of 
brotherhood;  Tolstoy  sees  it;  it  is  evident 
everywhere.  The  spirit  of  brotherhood  is 
working  in  each  nation  in  the  awakened  public 
conscience;  it  is  working  abroad  through  the 
missionaries  and  the  teachers.  There  is  more 
altruism  in  the  world  to-day  than  ever  before; 
"the  middle  wall  of  partition,"  which  has 
separated  man  from  his  brother,  is  crumbling, 
and  with  its  disappearance  will  come  a  solu- 
tion of  the  problems  which  vex  mankind. 
Christ's  platform  of  brotherhood  is  the  broad- 
est of  all  the  platforms  offered  to  men.  There 
is  no  question  to-day  that  it  will  not  settle; 
and  no  question  will  arise  in  the  days  to  come 
to  which  it  can  not  be  successfully  appHed. 
We  may  go  farther  than  that  and  say  that 
there   is  no   question — domestic   or   foreign, 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  39 

which  can  be  permanently  settled  by  any  rule 
that  Is  not  In  harmony  with  this  platform. 

Man  has  learned  how  to  protect  his  own 
rights;  brotherly  love  will  teach  him  to  re- 
spect the  rights  of  others. 

Eighth — Faith,  the  spiritual  extension  of 
the  vision;  the  moral  sense  which  reaches  out 
toward  the  throne  and  takes  hold  upon  those 
verities  which  the  mind  can  not  grasp. 

"  Without  faith  It  is  Impossible  to  please 
God;  "  without  faith  It  Is  Impossible  to  do 
anything  else  of  value.  Faith  precedes  works, 
as  the  plan  precedes  the  house.  The  archi- 
tect must  have  the  design  In  his  mind  before 
he  can  put  It  upon  paper;  and  he  must  put 
the  design  upon  paper  before  the  builder  can 
give  It  material  form.  As  the  one  who  di- 
rects the  construction  of  a  railroad  must  have, 
In  his  own  mind,  a  vision  of  the  track  winding 
up  the  mountain  side  before  a  tie  Is  put  into 
place  or  a  spike  Is  driven,  so  man  must  use 


40  Tlie  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

the  eye  of  faith  if  he  would  plan  for  a  large 
life.  He  must,  through  faith,  acquaint  him- 
self with  the  unseen  world,  for  "  the  things 
which  are  seen  are  temporal;  but  the  things 
which  are  not  seen  are  eternal." 

"  The  just  shall  live  by  faith."  "  Faith  is 
the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,"  and  man 
must  possess  himself  of  this  substance  if  he 
would  be  strong;  faith  is  "the  evidence  of 
things  not  seen,"  and  man  must  have  this 
evidence  if  he  would  fight  life's  battles  with 
courage  and  success.  One  can  not  tell  what 
he  can  do  until  he  tries;  and  he  does  not  try 
unless  he  has  faith.  The  great  things  of  the 
world  have  been  accomplished  by  men  and 
women  who  had  faith  enough  to  attempt  the 
seemingly  impossible  and  trusted  to  God  to 
open  the  way. 

The  faith  of  Abraham  established  a  system 
of  religion  and  as  a  result  of  that  faith  more 
than  four  hundred  millions  of  people  are  now 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  41 

worshippers  of  the  one  God;  the  faith  of  the 
apostles  brought  Christ's  words  and  Hfe  be- 
fore the  world;  the  faith  of  the  martyrs  gave 
wings  to  the  religion  for  which  they  died. 
Faith,  inspiring  an  unselfish  heart,  a  heart 
yearning  to  do  some  great  good,  will  be  found 
back  of  every  movement  started  for  man's 
uplifting.  Faith  in  the  triumph  of  truth,  be- 
cause it  is  truth,  has  ever  been  an  unfailing 
source  of  courage  and  power.  Faith  leads  us 
to  trust  the  omnipotence  of  the  Ruler  of  the 
Universe,  and  to  put  God's  promises  to  the 
test. 

Faith  is  a  heart  virtue;  doubts  of  the  mind 
will  not  disturb  us  if  there  is  faith  In  the 
heart:  "Lord,  I  believe;  help  thou  mine  un- 
behef." 

Faith  is  as  necessary  to  the  heart  of  the 
Individual  as  it  is  necessary  to  world-wide 
peace.  What  can  equal  the  consolation  that 
comes  from  reliance  upon  the  care  of  Him 


42  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

who  gives  beauty  to  the  hly,  food  to  the  fowls 
of  the  air,  and  direction  to  all? 

"  He,  who  from  zone  to  zone, 
Guides  from  the  boundless  sky  thy  certain 

flight, 
In  the  long  way  that  I  must  tread  alone 
Will  lead  my  steps  aright." 

Ninth — Example,  the  means  of  propagat- 
ing truth. 

"  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that 
they  may  see  your  good  works  and  glorify 
your  Father  which  is  in  Heaven." 

What  bloodshed  might  have  been  avoided; 
what  slaughter  might  have  been  prevented, 
if  all  who  bore  the  name  of  Christian  had 
been  willing  to  trust  to  the  life  for  the  evan- 
gelisation of  the  world,  instead  of  resorting 
to  the  sword! 

It  is  a  slow  process,  this  winning  of  con- 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  43 

verts  by  example,  but  It  is  the  sure  way — It 
is  Christ's  way.  A  speech  may  be  disputed; 
even  a  sermon  may  not  convince,  but  no  one 
has  yet  Hved  who  could  answer  a  Christian 
life;  It  Is  the  unanswerable  argument  in  sup- 
port of  the  Christian  religion. 

It  Is  difficult,  at  best,  to  present  a  theory  to 
the  mind  of  another  without  some  concrete 
illustration  of  the  theory.  Religion  Is,  there- 
fore, the  easiest  of  all  subjects  to  Illustrate 
because  It  can  be  Illustrated  by  a  life,  and  life 
Is  the  only  valid  Illustration  of  It.  No  amount 
of  explanation  can  excuse  a  life  that  contra- 
dicts the  profession.  A  religious  truth  Is  also 
the  easiest  one  to  test;  It  only  needs  to  be 
lived.  "  O  taste  and  see  that  the  Lord  Is 
good;  "  "  Come  unto  Me,  all  ye  that  labour 
and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest. 
Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  Me; 
for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  In  heart;  and  ye 
shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls.    For  My  yoke 


44  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

Is  easy  and  My  burden  is  light."  There  Is 
no  possible  excuse  for  a  religious  quarrel;  let 
each  one  live  his  religion  and  the  world  will 
decide  which  Is  best. 

But  while  Christians  are  In  duty  bound  to 
perfect  themselves  as  far  as  possible — and  as 
fast  as  possible — for  their  own  happiness  as 
well  as  because  their  obligation  to  God  and 
to  others  requires  It — it  Is  not  fair  to  charge 
up  against  Christianity  every  fault  that  may 
appear  In  the  lives  of  Christians.  Christ  Is 
the  light,  but  when  that  light  shines  through 
His  followers  It  shines  through  clouded  glass. 
As  the  white  flame  in  a  lantern  may  look  blue 
or  yellow  or  red  according  to  the  colour  of  the 
globe  which  surrounds  It,  so  the  pure  light 
which  shines  from  the  Christian  may  be  so 
discoloured  by  his  faults  as  to  make  Chris- 
tianity appear  gloomy  or  sordid,  or  even 
dangerous.  Christianity  should  be  held  re- 
sponsible, not  for  the  human  Imperfections 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  45 

which  it  has  not  yet  cured,  but  only  for  such 
imperfections  as  naturally  and  logically  fol- 
low from  an  acceptance  of  it — and  there  are 
none. 

It  Is  a  tribute  to  our  religion  that  Its  critics 
take  Christianity  as  the  standard  and  measure 
Christians  by  that  standard,  finding  fault  with 
them  because  they  do  not  live  up  to  the  stand- 
ard; fault  can  not  be  found  with  the  standard 
itself. 

The  progress  of  Christianity  is  retarded  by 
the  fact  that  some  of  those  who  go  from 
Christian  to  non-Chrlstlan  countries  show  a 
contempt  for  the  Christian  virtues.  As  the 
natives  usually  describe  as  Christians  all  who 
come  from  the  Christian  countries,  the  church 
Is  held  responsible  for  the  shortcomings  of 
unbelievers  as  well  as  for  the  faults  of  pro- 
fessing Christians.  While  the  church  ought 
not  to  have  to  bear  this  burden,  the  fact  that 
it  does  have  to  bear  it  should  make  Christians 


46  The  Fniits  of  the  Tree 

even  more  anxious  to  reach  those  outside  the 
church  and  to  throw  helpful  influences  about 
those  who  are  temporarily  sojourning  in  for- 
eign lands. 

Christian  progress  Is  also  greatly  hindered 
by  the  fact  that  the  Christian  nations,  acting 
through  their  governments,  do  things  Incon- 
sistent with  Christ's  teachings.  While  per- 
fection should  not  be  expected  In  a  govern- 
ment, any  more  than  In  an  individual — even 
less,  since  governments  reflect  not  the  highest 
sentiment  in  the  land  but  rather  the  average 
sentiment — still  Christians  should  deeply  feel 
their  responsibility  and  exert  themselves  to 
the  uttermost  to  purge  their  governments  of 
impurity  and  Injustice. 

On  the  other  hand,  It  Is  not  logical  to  set 
up,  as  an  example,  a  moral  man  outside  of 
the  church.  We  must  Inquire  from  what 
source  he  derives  his  morality.  Is  It  from 
Christian  parents?     Then  why  deny  to  the 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  47 

church  the  credit  due  for  giving  a  man,  In  his 
youth,  a  moral  momentum  which  still  carries 
him  forward?  Does  he  derive  his  morality 
from  the  religious  atmosphere  about  him? 
Then  why  deny  to  the  church  credit  for  creat- 
ing the  atmosphere? 

The  Immoral  church  member  who  borrows 
his  habits  from  the  outside  world,  and  the 
moral  man  outside  the  church  who  borrows 
his  virtues  from  the  church,  are  stumbling 
blocks  only  because  their  Inconsistencies  are 
not  clearly  understood  by  the  unconverted. 

Materialism  has  no  morality  of  its  own;  It 
Is  a  parasite  which  fastens  Itself  upon  the 
living  tree  of  Christianity.  It  has  no  trunk; 
It  has  no  power  to  send  its  roots  down  into 
the  ground  and  grow  upon  Its  own  merits. 
Its  tendency  Is  to  destroy — not  to  create.  A 
society  fashioned  according  to  Its  plans  would 
be  neither  elevated  nor  lasting;  In  proportion 
as  materialism   Is   embodied   in   life   it  robs 


48  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

life  of  both  iisefuhicss  and  happiness,  while 
Christianity  grows  and  will  grow  because 
the  more  perfect  its  embodiment  in  the 
life  the  more  attractive  and  forceful  it 
becomes. 

If  it  were  impossible  to  secure  ministers  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  those  who  sit  in  dark- 
ness; if  it  were  impossible  to  secure  teachers 
to  instruct  them,  or  physicians  to  heal  in  the 
name  of  the  Master,  it  would  still  be  worth 
while  to  send  Christians  abroad  to  live  among 
the  non-Christian  people  and  to  demonstrate 
that  the  Christian  conception  of  life  can  make 
of  a  human  being  a  living  spring,  pouring 
forth  constantly  of  that  which  refreshes,  in- 
vigorates, and  uplifts. 

Tenth — Service  the  measure  of  greatness. 

"Whosoever  of  you  will  be  the  chiefest, 
shall  be  the  servant  of  all." 

Service  is  the  measure  of  greatness.  It 
always  has  been  true;   It  Is  true  to-day;  It 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  49 

always  will  be  true  that  he  is  the  greatest 
who  does  the  most  of  good.  Read  the  In- 
scriptions upon  the  monuments  reared  by 
grateful  hands  to  those  whom  the  world  calls 
great;  they  record  not  what  the  dead  have 
received,  but  what  they  have  given  to  the 
world,  and  prove  that  It  Is,  In  truth,  "  more 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 

And  how  this  old  earth  will  be  transformed 
when  this  measure  of  greatness  Is  the  measure 
of  every  life!  We  have  had  our  conflicts, 
because  we  have  been  trying  to  see  how  much 
we  could  get  from  each  other;  there  will  be 
peace  when  we  are  trying  to  see  how  much 
we  can  do  for  each  other.  We  have  had  our 
combats  because  we  have  been  trying  to  see 
how  much  we  could  get  out  of  the  world; 
there  will  be  peace  when  we  are  trying  to  see 
how  much  we  can  put  Into  the  world.  The 
human  measure  of  a  human  life  Is  Its  Income; 
the  divine  measure  of  a  human  life  is  Its  outgo 


50  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

— its  overflow — its  contribution  to  the  welfare 
of  the  world. 

Christianity  is  not  the  doctrine  of  the  weak- 
ling; it  does  not  enervate.  One  can  be  as 
strenuous  in  helpful  service  as  in  doing  evil; 
the  very  highest  ambition  may  find  its  grati- 
fication in  doing  good.  Strength  and  courage 
— any  amount  of  both — can  be  actively  and 
continuously  employed  in  lifting  up ;  they  need 
not  be  expended  in  beating  down.  It  requires 
both  strength  and  courage  to  stand  against 
temptation;  one  must  have  both  to  stand  for 
the  right  against  the  wrong,  especially  when 
men  "  revile  you  and  persecute  you  and  say 
all  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely."  And 
we  must  not  forget  that  there  is  as  much  in- 
spiration in  a  noble  life  as  in  an  heroic 
death. 

Christ's  conception  of  life  is  a  revolution- 
ary one;  it  will  revolutionise  an  individual, 
it  will  revolutionise  a  community,  a  nation,  or 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  51 

a  world.  Let  one  understand  that  his  success 
Is  to  be  measured  (and  is  not  his  happiness 
also?)  by  his  service  to  society,  and  life  takes 
on  a  new  meaning.  He  must  now  prepare 
himself  for  efficient  work;  he  must  strengthen 
his  body  to  endure  fatigue,  and  he  must  avoid 
the  Indulgences  which  would  dissipate  his 
strength;  he  Is  ashamed  to  tender  a  physical 
wreck  for  his  Master's  service.  He  must 
train  his  mind  to  act  quickly — no  dull,  undis- 
ciplined brain  is  fit  for  the  work  which  he 
desires  to  do.  He  must  analyse  his  motives, 
scrutinise  his  purposes  and  bring  his  ideals 
Into  harmony  with  those  of  the  Perfect 
Model.  In  Christ's  measure  of  greatness  may 
be  found  an  explanation  of  Christian  civilisa- 
tion and  an  assurance  that  fidelity  to  His 
teaching  will  result  in  material  prosperity  and 
Intellectual  progress  as  well  as  in  spiritual 
growth. 

Eleventh — Do  unto  others  as  you  would 


52  The  Fniits  of  the  Tree 

have  others  do  unto  you,  the  golden  rule  of 
action. 

Christ  declared  this  to  be  the  "  law  and 
the  prophets."  It  is  a  detail  of  the  general 
plan,  it  gives  specific  instructions  as  to  method. 
We  are  not  left  in  doubt  as  to  how  we  can 
prove  our  love  or  manifest  the  spirit  of 
brotherhood;  we  are  not  only  told  what  to  do, 
but  we  are  told  how  to  do  It.  It  will  be  no- 
ticed that  the  golden  rule  of  Christ  commands 
that  we  should  be  positively  helpful,  while 
Confucius,  In  his  golden  rule,  "  do  not  unto 
others  as  you  would  not  have  others  do  unto 
you,"  enjoins  upon  his  followers  only  negative 
harmlessness.  There  Is  a  vast  gulf  between 
these  two  rules. 

It  Is  not  sufficient  that  we  abstain  from 
wrong  doing;  we  must  do  good.  It  Is  difficult 
to  measure  the  woe  which  Injustice  has 
brought  mankind  or  to  estimate  the  benefit 
to  be  derived  from  the  establishment  of  unl- 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  53 

versal  justice;  but  the  world  needs  something 
better  than  justice.  The  earth  would  be  a 
cold  and  cheerless  place  In  which  to  live  If 
there  were  nothing  warmer  here  than  justice. 
We  need  sympathy;  we  need  generosity;  we 
need  that  helpfulness  which  benevolence  alone 
inspires.  Many  Injuries  come  to  man  that 
can  be  traced  to  his  own  mistakes — to  his  own 
negligence  or  Ignorance;  but  we  can  not  coldly 
turn  away  from  him — we  can  not  leave  him 
to  suffer,  merely  because  he  may  deserve  It. 
We  must  help  him  first  and  advise  him  after- 
wards. Even  upon  the  battlefield  the 
wounded  are  spared  and  many  a  life  has  been 
saved  by  kindness  shown  by  the  enemy. 

Christianity  Is  not  an  abstraction — It  Is  a 
reality.  To  prove  his  right  to  the  name  of 
Christian,  one  must  be  something;  he  must 
do  something.  Love  Impels  him  to  service 
through  example,  and  the  golden  rule  points 
the  way. 


54  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

Twelfth — Immortality,  a  reward  and  a  re- 
straint. 

*'  If  a  man  die  shall  he  live  again?  " 

What  more  important  question  can  thrust 
Itself  upon  man's  attention?  From  the  days 
of  Job — even  from  man's  first  day  upon  the 
earth — down  to  the  beginning  of  the  Chris- 
tian era,  this  thought-compelling  question  has 
risen  to  his  lips.  Christ  has  answered  the 
question,  and  answered  it  to  the  satisfaction 
of  His  followers.  By  His  word,  and  by  His 
own  resurrection.  He  has  testified  to  the 
reality  of  a  future  life. 

Belief  in  the  resurrection  is  one  of  the  foun- 
dation stones  upon  which  our  religion  rests. 
It  stands  or  falls  with  the  sonship  of  the 
Saviour:  "  If  Christ  be  not  risen,  then  is  our 
preaching  vain,  and  your  faith  is  also  vain." 

If  Christ  was  not  divine.  He  did  not  rise 
from  the  dead;  If  Christ  did  rise  from  the 
dead.  He  was  divine. 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  55 

We  need  not  worry  about  the  details  of  the 
next  Hfe;  It  is  enough  to  know  that  there  Is 
an  existence  beyond  the  grave.  The  God  who 
fashioned  this  world  and  suited  It  to  the  needs 
of  man,  can  be  trusted  to  frame  a  heaven  for 
those  whom  He  has  made  In  His  own  Image. 

The  transition  which  takes  place  when  the 
mortal  puts  on  Immortality;  when  that  which 
is  "sown  a  natural  body  Is  raised  a  spiritual 
body" — Is  not  more  mysterious  than  the  new 
life  "  which  springs  up  from  the  seed  which 
is  not  quickened,  except  It  die."  If  the  germ 
of  life  In  the  grain  of  wheat  has  power  to 
build  for  itself  a  new  body,  so  much  like  the 
old  one  that  we  can  not  tell  the  one  from  the 
other — if  the  germ  of  life  In  the  grain  of 
wheat  can  pass  unimpaired  through  many 
resurrections,  I  shall  not  doubt  that  my  spirit 
has  power  to  clothe  Itself  In  a  body  suited  to 
Its  new  existence  when  this  frame  of  mine 
shall  become  dust.    And  who  will  measure  the 


56  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

consolation  which  this  bcHcf  in  immortahty 
has  brought  to  the  sorrowing  hearts  of  the 
sons  of  men. 

Compare  the  Christian  view  of  heaven  with 
that  presented  by  the  teachers  of  the  non- 
Christian  world.  Confucius  evaded  the  sub- 
ject of  immortality;  Christ  left  no  doubt  as 
to  the  future  state.  The  Koran  paints  a  pic- 
ture of  heaven  which  neither  furnishes  Inspira- 
tion nor  raises  man's  aspirations;  the  Bible 
portrays  heaven  In  such  a  way  as  to  elevate 
our  thoughts,  purify  our  motives,  and  ennoble 
our  lives. 

Buddhism  regards  life  as  a  calamity,  from 
which  one  escapes  through  loss  of  Individual 
identity;  Christianity  teaches  us  that  life  is 
an  opportunity,  to  be  Improved  to  the  utmost 
— a  preparation  for  a  still  higher  life,  with 
conscious  existence  hereafter — where  we  shall 
know  as  we  are  known — as  a  reward. 

Belief  in  immortality  is  more  than  a  con- 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  57 

solatlon;  it  is  a  restraint  also.  It  tends  to 
establish  justice  and  benevolence  as  a  basis  of 
brotherhood.  One  who  expects  to  live  again 
— one  who  expects  to  see  face  to  face  is 
strengthened  to  resist  temptations  that  may 
come  to  him  to  injure  his  brother  for  his  own 
benefit. 

He  must  be  at  heart  an  unbeliever  who,  to 
reap  an  unfair  advantage  at  the  expense  of 
his  fellow,  is  willing  to  risk  ages  of  shame 
and  remorse  when  he  stands  uncovered  in  the 
presence  of  the  one  whom  he  has  wronged. 

The  fruits  of  the  tree  increase  in  number  as 
the  years  go  by;  they  increase  also  as  our 
vision  is  clarified.  When  we  look  from  afar 
we  see  the  more  important  fruits  of  the  spirit 
— the  fruit  that  grows  on  the  larger  branches. 
As  we  approach  nearer,  the  tree  grows  upon 
us  and  we  see  a  multitude  of  branches  and 
fruit  in  inexhaustible  quantity. 

As  we  come  still  nearer,   we  understand 


58  The  Fruits  of  the  Tree 

more  and  more  clearly  how  the  tree  can,  in 
time,  fill  the  whole  earth  and  how  its  leaves 
can  in  reality  be  "  for  the  healing  of  the 
nations." 

Christ  is  the  growing  Figure  in  the  world; 
the  story  of  His  life  touches  the  hearts  of 
men  and  women  wherever  it  is  told,  and  it 
is  being  translated  into  every  tongue.  Evea 
the  children — and  who  was  more  tenderly  so- 
hcitous  concerning  them? — catch  a  glimpse  of 
the  Christ-life  as  their  innocent  hearts  receive 
the  revelation  which  the  worldly-wise  and  the 
so-called  prudent  sometimes  reject. 

Christianity  is  an  increasing  force — it  is  ex- 
panding day  by  day  and  year  by  year,  as  the 
missionaries  of  the  Cross  carry  the  message 
into  distant  lands. 

The  march  of  our  religion — quiet  yet 
triumphant — is  strikingly  pictured  by  an 
American  minister,  the  Rev.  Charles  Edward 
Jefferson,  of  New  York,  in  a  volume  entitled 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  59 

*' Things  Fundamental;"  and  with  this  pic- 
ture I  close: 

"  Christ  In  history !  There  Is  a  fact — face 
It.  According  to  the  New  Testament,  Jesus 
walked  along  the  shores  of  a  little  sea  known 
as  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  And  there  He  called 
Peter  and  Andrew  and  James  and  John  and 
several  others  to  be  His  followers,  and  they 
left  all  and  followed  Him.  After  they  had 
followed  Him  they  revered  Him,  and  later 
on  adored  and  worshipped  Him.  He  left 
them  on  their  faces,  each  man  saying,  '  My 
Lord  and  my  God !  '  All  that  Is  In  the  New 
Testament. 

''  But  put  the  New  Testament  away.  Time 
passes;  history  widens;  an  unseen  Presence 
walks  up  and  down  the  shores  of  a  larger  sea 
— the  sea  called  the  Mediterranean — and  this 
unseen  Presence  calls  men  to  follow  him. 
Tertulllan,  Augustine,  Anselm,  Aquinas, 
Francis  of  Assisi,  Thomas  a  Kempis,  Savona- 


GO  The  Fi^its  of  the  Tree 

rola,  John  Huss,  Martin  Luther,  Phihp  Me- 
lanchthon,  Ulrlch  Zwlngll,  John  Calvin — an- 
other twelve — and  these  all  followed  Him 
and  cast  themselves  at  His  feet,  saying,  in 
the  words  of  the  earlier  twelve,  '  My  Lord 
and  my  God!  ' 

"  Time  passes;  history  advances;  humanity 
lives  its  life  around  the  circle  of  a  larger  sea — 
the  Atlantic  ocean.  An  unseen  Presence  walks 
up  and  down  the  shores  calling  men  to  follow 
Him.  He  calls  John  Knox,  John  Wesley, 
George  Whitefield,  Charles  Spurgeon,  Henry 
Parry  Liddon,  Joseph  Parker,  Jonathan  Ed- 
wards, Horace  Bushnell,  ■  Henry  Ward 
Beecher,  Richard  Salter  Storrs,  Phillips 
Brooks,  Dwight  L.  Moody — another  twelve 
— and  these  leave  all  and  follow  Him.  We 
find  them  on  their  faces,  each  one  saying, 
*  My  Lord  and  my  God !  * 

''Time  passes;  history  is  widening;  hu- 
manity is  building  its  civihsation  round  a  still 


The  Fruits  of  the  Tree  61 

wider  sea — we  call  it  the  Pacific  ocean.  An 
unknown  Presence  moves  up  and  down  the 
shores  calling  men  to  follow  Him,  and  they 
are  doing  it.  Another  company  of  twelve  is 
forming.  And  what  took  place  in  Palestine 
nineteen  centuries  ago  is  taking  place  again 
in  our  own  day  and  under  our  own  eyes." 


THE  END 


MISSIONARY 


The  World  Missionary  Conference 

The  Report  of  the  Ecumenical  Conference  held  in  Edinburgh 
in  1910.  In  nine  volumes,  each,  net  75c.;  the  complete  set 
of  nine  volumes,  net  $5.00. 

A  whole  missionaiy  library  by  experts  and  wrought  up  to 
the  day  and  hour.  The  Conference  has  been  called  a  modern 
council  of  Nicea  and  the  report  the  greatest  missionary  pub- 
lication  ever   made. 

Vol.  I.  Carrying    the    Gospel.        Vol.  6.  The  Home   Base. 
Vol.  2.  The     Church     in     the       Vol.  7.  Missions  and  Govern- 

Mission    Field.  ments. 

Vol.  3.  Christian  Education.  Vol.  8.   Co-operation        and 

Vol.  4.  The   Missionary    Mes-  Unity. 

sage.  Vol.  9.  History,   Records  and 

Vol.  5.   Preparation     of    Mis-  Addresses. 

sionaries. 

Echoes  from  Edinburgh,  1910 

By  W.  H.  T.  Gairdner,  author  of'D.  M.  ThorntonP 
izmo,  cloth,  net  $i.oo. 

The  popular  story  of  the  Conference — its  preparation — its 
management — its  effect  and  forecast  of  its  influence  on  the 
church  at  home  and  the  work  abroad.  An  official  publication 
in  no  way  conflicting  with  the  larger  work — which  it  rather 
supplements. 

HENRY  H.  JESSUP'S  AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

Fifty-three  Years  in  Syria 

Introduction  by  James  S.  Dennis.    Two  volumes,  illustrated, 

8vo,   cloth,  boxed,   net  $5.00. 

*'A  rich  mine  of  information  for  the  historian,  the  eth- 
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labors  to  which  the  author  devoted  his  life.  A  thoroughly  in- 
teresting book  that  will  yield  endless  pickings."— iV.   Y.  Sun. 

ROBERT  E.  SPEER 

Christianity  and  the  Nations 

The  Duff  Lectures  for  1910. 

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Among  the  many  notable  volumes  that  have  resulted 
from  the  well-known  Duff  foundation  Lectureship  this  new 
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in  Edinburgh,  Glasgow  and  Aberdeen,  will  rank  among  the 
most  important.  The  general  theme,  "The  Reflex  Influence 
of  Missions  Upon  the  Nations,"  suggests  a  large,  important, 
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G.   T.  B.  DAVIS 

Korea  for  Chri^ 

In    press. 

An  effective  report  of  the  recent  revivals  in  Korea  told  by 
an  eye  witness,  who  himself  participated  in  the  work. 


MISSIONARY 


JVUi'S  RICHTFR 

A  History  of  Protestant  Missions  in  the 
Near  East    svo,  cioth,  net  $2.50. 

A  companion  volume  to  "A  History  of  Missions  in  In- 
dia," by  this  prcat  authority.  The  progress  of  the  gospel  is 
traced  in  Asia  Minor,  Persia,  Arabia,  Syria,  ana  Egypt. 
Non-sectarian    in    spirit,    thoroughly   comprehensive    in    scope. 

JOHN  P.  JONES,  P.P. 

The  Modern  Missionary  Challenge 

Yale    Lectures,    igio.      umu,    clotli,    net    $1.50. 

These  lectures,  by  the  author  of  "India's  Problem, 
Krisha  or  Christ?"  are  a  re-survey  of  the  demand  of  missions 
in  the  light  of  progress  made,  in  their  relation  to  human 
thought.  The  new  difficulties,  the  new  incentives,  are  con- 
sidered by  one  whose  experience  in  the  field  and  as  a  writer, 
entitle    him   to   consideration. 

ALONZO  BUNKER,  P.P. 

^  Sketches  from  the  Karen  Hills 

Illustrated,    i2mo.    Cloth,   net  $1.00. 

These  descriptive  chapters  from  a  missionary's  life  in 
Burma  are  of  exceptional  vividness  and  rich  in  an  appre- 
ciation for  color.  His  pen  pictures  give  not  only  a  splendid 
insight  into  native  life,  missionary  work,  but  have  a  distinc- 
tive  literary  charm   which   characterizes  his   "Soo    Ttah." 

JAMES  F.  LOVE 

The  Unique  Message  and  Universal 
Mission  of  Christianity 

lamo,  cloth,  net  $1.25. 

A  volume  dealing  with  the  philosophy  of  missions  at 
once  penetrating  and  unusual.  It  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most 
original  and  valuable  contributions  to  the  subject  yet  made. 

WILLIAM  EPWARP  GARPNER 

Winners  of  the  World  During  Twenty 

Centuries       Adapted  for  Boys  and  Girls. 

A  Story  and  a  Study  of  Missionary  Effort  from  the  Time  of 
Paul  to  the  Present  Day.    Cloth,  net  60c;  paper,  net  30c. 

Children's  Missionary  Series 

Illustrated  in  Colors,  Cloth,  Pecorated,  each,  net  60c. 

Children  of  Africa.    James  B.  Baird. 
Children  of  Arabia.    John  C.  Young. 
Children  of  China.    C.  Campbell  Brown. 
Children  of  India.    Janet  Harvey  Kelman. 


pMCMM   ThroloSK 


Vm."a  ^f^  i-'T'i; 


1012  01057  9946 


Date 

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